Why are some Groups against Home Built Aircraft

[Nev25]

I recently asked on a Helicopter Forum as to what Licence is required in Australia to fly a AW95 (Which is a very basic scratch Built Helicopter) Just a general question out of curiosity

 

All I ended up with was a lecture on the dangers of flying without training was labelled a PEST and told to go away and stop posting stupid posts

 

When I replied to defend myself my posts where deleted????

 

I was asking about licenses not building????

 

Some weeks later I Joined a glider online forum and asked about plans

 

(Google glider plans and all you get is model plans (Radio control type))

 

Got a simular type of response (Admittedly only for 2 members) who posted the notion of scratch building a glider was STUPID !!!!!

 

 

[Bandit12]

I think the key is to go to a building forum, like HBA. No one will call you stupid there if you ask sensible questions, although if you ask questions that have been asked many times before, someone might tell you to search for it yourself....

 

 

[cscotthendry]

I recently asked on a Helicopter Forum as to what Licence is required in Australia to fly a AW95 (Which is a very basic scratch Built Helicopter) Just a general question out of curiosityAll I ended up with was a lecture on the dangers of flying without training was labelled a PEST and told to go away and stop posting stupid posts

When I replied to defend myself my posts where deleted????

 

I was asking about licenses not building????

 

Some weeks later I Joined a glider online forum and asked about plans

 

(Google glider plans and all you get is model plans (Radio control type))

 

Got a simular type of response (Admittedly only for 2 members) who posted the notion of scratch building a glider was STUPID !!!!!

Nev: They do this for the same reason that some people go on about, over here we say "biscuit" and over there they say "cookie". It's "in-group" "out-group" stuff.

 

 

[dazza 38]

The funny thing is, a lot of homebuilders really do a outstanding job on their aircraft, a lot better than some production aircraft. The attention to detail and no pressure on a timeframe to finish really shows in some home builds. I think that some people bag homebuilt aircraft (general public) because they simply don't know much if at all when it comes to aircraft. They automatically think that "hey that bloke built that in his garage and he isn't a aircraft mechanic, he must be mad" etc.

 

 

[Greg Spiers]

I recently asked on a Helicopter Forum as to what Licence is required in Australia to fly a AW95 (Which is a very basic scratch Built Helicopter) Just a general question out of curiosityAll I ended up with was a lecture on the dangers of flying without training was labelled a PEST and told to go away and stop posting stupid posts

When I replied to defend myself my posts where deleted????

 

I was asking about licenses not building????

 

Some weeks later I Joined a glider online forum and asked about plans

 

(Google glider plans and all you get is model plans (Radio control type))

 

Got a simular type of response (Admittedly only for 2 members) who posted the notion of scratch building a glider was STUPID !!!!!

Hi Nev, you probably have your answer by now but I have delved into this a good deal. In Australia you have to have at least your PPLH to fly any helicopter whether it be an ultralight type or commercially produced. I did all my CPLH and even now (I haven't flown choppers for 15 years), if I want to fly privately I have to go back to ground school and complete my BAK H and do the flying in a commercial helicopter under instruction and under a CFI H. Probably amount to about $30,000. You will save a bit of flying if you already have your cross country (I did mine in Ultralights), Human Factors and other bits and pieces but it wont amount to much. Only then can you buy and fly a 'ultralight' helicopter like an Angel CH7 or any number of the other available kit built or factory built whizzy thingies. I did my training with Chopperline in Coloundra and it wasn't cheap even then (early 90's)

Tony Carmody of Coloundra (I think he is still there) is the agent for CH7 Helicopters and a very good operator. He may still run his own Helicopter Training College in Coloundra, used to run the R22 Safety Course, (early 90's when I went and was CASA mandatory for commercial R22 and PPL pilots) and is very approachable. This is all different ofcourse in the US but, I would advise anyone attempting to build or fly a conventional rotary wing aircraft (not including gyros, they are more fixed wing in application and training) to undertake a fair bit of professional training. They're tricky little things and I haven't flown a single seater but I can imagine they would be even trickier than the light R22. It seems absurd but as you know, CASA have an agenda and they don't and wont change things if it looks like a compromise to safety in any way shape or form or, make it too easy, it seems!!!

 

Greg